Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-09-22
\ PEASANT EIGIITED.

Celia Thaxter
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\ PEASANT EIGIITED.
When Peter tie Great was reignin!
in Moscow, and ST. Petersburg was no
yet built, a Russian peasant in a tat
tered sheepskn frock was cuttin:
turf in lonely spot ON one of tn,
great plains of central Russia. Ii wa,
burning summer day and his worl
had made HIM very hot and tired, bu
one could see by his downcast face anc
hanging head that some great troubl,
WAS pressing harder upon him thar
even this fatiguing labor.
Looking up IN one Of the pauses o.
this work. the turf-cutter saw tai
young man coming slowly over the
plain to meet him. The newcome,
wore the green, gold-laccd uniform o.
the palace guards; but the lace wa.
SO faded aud the coat itself so thread.
bare that one wonld have Judged the
officer to be either a very careless man
or very poor one.
''He looks as if he had lost his way, >
muttered the peasant. as the stranger
halted and glanced doubtfully around
him. 81 must see if | can put him
right; it's always comfort, when
ones in trouble ones self. To helu
somebody else ont of it,"
The young officer, however, did not
look like 4 man who would need much
help from anybody. He was taller
nv for than anv,.u.1 x1-bn,, ti,o ,,oos, =,
had yet seen, and his broad chest and
sinewy limbs showed signs of enor-
nous strength. His smooth, hand
some face wore u rather sad look, as
he walked slowly. us if either tired or
in deep thought, but there was an air
of conscious power in his upright
bearing and the firm set of his head
aS if he felt himself to be match, and
more than match, for anything that
he might meet. Altogether, he seem
ell to be The sort of man whom one
would MI CHI rather have for friend
than for IN enemy.
Hello, brother" cried the stranger,
in deep, strong voice. ''Am l far
from the village of VolkhofT? think
i must have gone wrong, somehow"
"Yonr honor has gone wrong, in
deed, was the reply of the peasant,
shaking his head; tits a long way to
Volkhoif from here. You must keep
eastward till You come To big tree
standing by itself, and then you must
turn southwark as far as small lake.
Then, after that, you make big bend
to the right, and -"
"Oh, | shall never be able to re-
member all that, said the officer,
laughing; suppose you come along
with me and Snow me the way your
self"
II would do il gladly. your honor"
said the peasant, hesitatingly, "but,
you sec. if lose this days work.
then"
''You shall lose nothing by helping
me, be assured OF that. said the young
man, gravely. How much do you
earn in a day?"
Twenty kopecks," as cents.)
Twenty kopecks,' echoed the
stranger, looking down pityingly at
the poor, tired man, who worked so
hard for such scanty pay. well,
here's half rouble CT cents) for
you. and now come along. BY the
by" he added, IF we pass near your
home you might carry your turf home
at the same time"
ut would need two journeys to do
that. your honor"
Two? Why, those four baskets
would surely hold 1t ALP"
There's not man in Russia, your
honor, who could carry all four at
once when they are full. The two
smallest arc enough for me.
mot man in Russia, eh?" said
the young officer. "We1l try that.
Sling those four baskets over my
shoulders, and then fill them"
The laborer hesitated, but the young
man spoke like one accustomed to be
obcyed. As he stopped to receive the
baskets, the peasant slung them over
his shoulders, two before and two be-
hind, and then piled in the turf till
all four were piled full to the top.
Then it was sight to see the great,
towering figure rise slowly to its full
height under the load, and stride
away so briskly that the amazed peas
ant had hard work to keep up.
A short walk brought them to the
wretched hovel that was the poor
turf-cutter's only home, and while the
latter was emptying the baskets the
strangers bold, keen eyes were noting
the miserable and poverty-stricken
look Of the whole place. A few kind
words spoken as they started again
went straight to the poor peasants
Overburdened heart, and the whole
story of his grief came out.
Some years before he had bought at
high price, from rich neighbor, a
small patch of ground that had prov
ed to be worth hardly anything at all.
Moreover, not being able to make up
the full purchase money at the time,
he had got into debt, and the debt
kept growing larger and larger, from
the high rate of interest charged upon
it, till he was almost driven to des-
pair.
1T don't seem fair. does itp" he con-
cluded; "but what can / dop He's
rich and l am poor and friendless."
"Can such things be done in Rus
SLAP" muttered the officer. ut is, in
deed, time for a change"
His great black eyes lighted up as
he spoke, with flash of such terrible
anger that the peasant shrank in dis
may. But the young man asked as
quietly as ever:
"Why don't you complain to the
czarp'
'The czars" echoed the laborer;
''what does he care for poor peas
ants?"
''It's worth trying, though" said
the young man. earnestly, "for yours
is truly very hard case. Come, I'll
tell you what I'll do; I'm going to
Volkhof to meet the car and his
officers, who will be there to-day, and
! can get you chance of speaking to
him, for / belong TO his body-guard. p
''Me speak to the czar?n
"Why not? He's only man, like
you and me. I've spoken to him my
self. and I'm none the worse"
But how shall / know him among